You never know what influence your ministry has.
This morning a man came into our centre for a conversation. He'd been in prison 20 years ago and had been profoundly influenced by a chaplain who had given him a Bible. He still remembers that chaplain, his name and his influence.
At the same time, Angela and I went for coffee down the street. As we walked into the cafe, a man saw us and said "Salvation Army - you're spiritual people"! From there ensued a conversation about God at work in the world and how we participate. (Sounds like a theme we've been looking at).
You never know where things will lead...
Wednesday 21 September 2011
A great day out
Congratulations to our seniors team for a great day yesterday. All 90+ seniors that went to Mt Barker for the bus trip, meal and movie had a great time. Ross, Doris and their committee have excelled themselves.
There was singing, happiness, peace, joy, safe fun... things of the Kingdom. What a way to encourage community and build relationships with each other.
There was singing, happiness, peace, joy, safe fun... things of the Kingdom. What a way to encourage community and build relationships with each other.
Monday 19 September 2011
East Africa Appeal
Thank you to everyone that contributed to our extra offering for East Africa during our worship services yesterday. Even with extremely short notice $662.10 was given. Thank you.
Thursday 15 September 2011
Microwave miracles
Greg said yesterday, "If God can say 'universe' and it happens... why can't he say 'microwave'!"
We have often in recent days said that God is at work all the time around us. We need to identify where, and get on board.
Yesterday a lady in our community was having trouble with her new, quite advanced microwave. It was only weeks old, still with its box, receipt and warranty. She thought it was better for her to get a simpler machine, and felt God say to her "Give it to the Salvos".
She brought it to Greg with the instruction not to sell it (we can't sell electrical anyway, so it was a moot point), but to give it to the right person. Greg brought it up to our office with the same instructions.
Kerryn has been helping a lady in quite a desperate situation that has just moved into a flat. I was aware of this and asked her if she thought that this lady could do with a microwave.
"Are you kidding," came Kerryn's reply. "Just half an hour ago she asked me if I knew where we could help her get a microwave".
God is at work around us.
We have often in recent days said that God is at work all the time around us. We need to identify where, and get on board.
Yesterday a lady in our community was having trouble with her new, quite advanced microwave. It was only weeks old, still with its box, receipt and warranty. She thought it was better for her to get a simpler machine, and felt God say to her "Give it to the Salvos".
She brought it to Greg with the instruction not to sell it (we can't sell electrical anyway, so it was a moot point), but to give it to the right person. Greg brought it up to our office with the same instructions.
Kerryn has been helping a lady in quite a desperate situation that has just moved into a flat. I was aware of this and asked her if she thought that this lady could do with a microwave.
"Are you kidding," came Kerryn's reply. "Just half an hour ago she asked me if I knew where we could help her get a microwave".
God is at work around us.
Seacombe Gardens Car Park
At our Seacombe Gardens centre you will start to see little yellow dots appearing over the coming weeks. No - you are not going mad.
In our rear car park, we have had ongoing trouble with where people choose to park, and mostly how they choose to park. This is limiting our car park capacity, which in turn has impacted some of our activities, especially our Pioneer Companion Club and our Garage Sale. If current trends continue, it will only be a matter of months before it impacts Sunday morning worship as well.
After some good research by Ross Lewis, purchasing work by Lynette Ritter, and some handy work from Kevin Wotton, we are trialling some car park markers in the gravel. They are pretty obvious - bit yellow dots. If they prove their worth over the next few months, we'll purchase some more and complete the exercise.
Oh - and to state the obvious... if you do park in the rear car park, park between the dots!
In our rear car park, we have had ongoing trouble with where people choose to park, and mostly how they choose to park. This is limiting our car park capacity, which in turn has impacted some of our activities, especially our Pioneer Companion Club and our Garage Sale. If current trends continue, it will only be a matter of months before it impacts Sunday morning worship as well.
After some good research by Ross Lewis, purchasing work by Lynette Ritter, and some handy work from Kevin Wotton, we are trialling some car park markers in the gravel. They are pretty obvious - bit yellow dots. If they prove their worth over the next few months, we'll purchase some more and complete the exercise.
Oh - and to state the obvious... if you do park in the rear car park, park between the dots!
Back to Church Sunday
It is a few days ago now, but we are still celebrating the great day we had on Sunday. During this week Kathleen is organising the follow up of our first time visitors from Sunday so that they know how much we appreciated their being with us.
In reality, much of the success of the day happened well before Sunday. We proved, albeit with the prompting of an organised focus day, that we have the capacity to invite people to church. And - that they will respond. The next step, of course, is to make this habitual, a part of our culture. We also need to ensure that the welcome they receive is indicative of 'coming home' or back to church also.
Thank you to those that have taken this initiative on board and invited their friends and family along. 19 people visited for the first time on Sunday morning alone, with others coming Sunday night.
In reality, much of the success of the day happened well before Sunday. We proved, albeit with the prompting of an organised focus day, that we have the capacity to invite people to church. And - that they will respond. The next step, of course, is to make this habitual, a part of our culture. We also need to ensure that the welcome they receive is indicative of 'coming home' or back to church also.
Thank you to those that have taken this initiative on board and invited their friends and family along. 19 people visited for the first time on Sunday morning alone, with others coming Sunday night.
Thursday 8 September 2011
School Chaplains
I've promised in the past to keep everyone up to date with the School Chaplaincy campaign and any developments in this area. I believe that having chaplains in our schools is a vital service provision that is benefiting so many of our young people.
Yesterday the Federal Minister for Education, Mr Peter Garrett, announced significant changes to the federal schools chaplaincy program. These changes include further funding, which is welcome. They also include a new provision that allows schools to choose whether they would like a chaplain or a secular social worker. While the evidence is that the majority of principals are happy with chaplains, this means that some will choose to secularise their student services.
Other changes include new minimum qualification requirements (e.g. a Cert IV in Youth Work, Pastoral Care or equivilent). New benchmark standards will be introduced in service delivery and a new complaints process will be introduced.
For further details, see the Minister's media release at:
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Garrett/Media/Releases/Pages/Article_110907_102159.aspx
Yesterday the Federal Minister for Education, Mr Peter Garrett, announced significant changes to the federal schools chaplaincy program. These changes include further funding, which is welcome. They also include a new provision that allows schools to choose whether they would like a chaplain or a secular social worker. While the evidence is that the majority of principals are happy with chaplains, this means that some will choose to secularise their student services.
Other changes include new minimum qualification requirements (e.g. a Cert IV in Youth Work, Pastoral Care or equivilent). New benchmark standards will be introduced in service delivery and a new complaints process will be introduced.
For further details, see the Minister's media release at:
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Garrett/Media/Releases/Pages/Article_110907_102159.aspx
Wednesday 7 September 2011
East Africa Drought Update and Appeal Notice
The Salvation Army in Uganda is resopnding to drought conditions that have taken hold across much of the Horn of Africa. Children and particularly vulnerable, with malnourishment among under-fives having increased dramatically.
In one district the government has two health centres - Magada and Nzinze Clinics - solely for the purpose of dealing with malnoursihed children. The Red Cross and UNICEF are providing food but children and their families are sleepingo n the ground, there is no water, and hygiene is a major problem.
When Salvation Army assessment teams became aware of the situation they stepped in to provide 200 mattresses, 200 jerry cans, 200 wash basins, 500 long bars of soap and 100 jerrys of liquid soap. Plans are under way to sink a borehole so there is a constant supply of clean water. The Salvation Army's support is greatly appreciated. It is making a small but significant difference to the children and their families.
The staff in these compact health centres work day and night to look after more than 250 children. The night before The Salvation Army had delivered the mattresses a child died. Another nine were buried only a few days earlier. But the problem seen in the health centres is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a large number of malnourished children in the surrounding villages. The local government has started a campaign asking families to bring their children to the clinics before it is too late.
In one of the villages The Salvation Army project officer met a young woman, Malongo. Her name means 'mother of the twins'. She told him that her breast milk had run dry, probably because she had not eaten sufficiently. Once a day she tries to feed tha babies porridge made of cassava flour, which is not very nutritious - but it's all she can afford.
Mothers like Nalongo are in a very difficult position. The porject officer encouraged her to go to the loval health centre with her children. In the meantime she was one of more than 700 families who benefited from food provided by The Salvation ARmy. Each family received 15kg of maize and 10kg of beans.
More projects are planned and an international Salvation Army team is on its way to assist the Uganda Command. The drought in East Africa is set to last for some time.
Donations to The Salvation Army's Africa Disaster Fund will allow teams in Uganda and other East African countries, including Kenya, to provide vital assistance. Support has been offered from around The Salvation Army world with donations already coming in from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa and US headquarters.
At Marion Corps we will be setting aside time in both worship services on September 18 for people to make a special offering to the East Africa appeal. Information will be available this Sunday (September 11) to help facilitate this.
In one district the government has two health centres - Magada and Nzinze Clinics - solely for the purpose of dealing with malnoursihed children. The Red Cross and UNICEF are providing food but children and their families are sleepingo n the ground, there is no water, and hygiene is a major problem.
When Salvation Army assessment teams became aware of the situation they stepped in to provide 200 mattresses, 200 jerry cans, 200 wash basins, 500 long bars of soap and 100 jerrys of liquid soap. Plans are under way to sink a borehole so there is a constant supply of clean water. The Salvation Army's support is greatly appreciated. It is making a small but significant difference to the children and their families.
The staff in these compact health centres work day and night to look after more than 250 children. The night before The Salvation Army had delivered the mattresses a child died. Another nine were buried only a few days earlier. But the problem seen in the health centres is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a large number of malnourished children in the surrounding villages. The local government has started a campaign asking families to bring their children to the clinics before it is too late.
In one of the villages The Salvation Army project officer met a young woman, Malongo. Her name means 'mother of the twins'. She told him that her breast milk had run dry, probably because she had not eaten sufficiently. Once a day she tries to feed tha babies porridge made of cassava flour, which is not very nutritious - but it's all she can afford.
Mothers like Nalongo are in a very difficult position. The porject officer encouraged her to go to the loval health centre with her children. In the meantime she was one of more than 700 families who benefited from food provided by The Salvation ARmy. Each family received 15kg of maize and 10kg of beans.
More projects are planned and an international Salvation Army team is on its way to assist the Uganda Command. The drought in East Africa is set to last for some time.
Donations to The Salvation Army's Africa Disaster Fund will allow teams in Uganda and other East African countries, including Kenya, to provide vital assistance. Support has been offered from around The Salvation Army world with donations already coming in from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa and US headquarters.
At Marion Corps we will be setting aside time in both worship services on September 18 for people to make a special offering to the East Africa appeal. Information will be available this Sunday (September 11) to help facilitate this.
Royal Adelaide Show
The Salvation Army has always been fortunate with the opporutunities that the public afford us. We are grateful to God for the good favour with which our church is held.
This week is the Royal Adelaide Show, which I'm sure that most of you would know. During the course of the show, there will be a number of ways that we are able to connect with the community. Most people going to the show would have already seen collectors at the gates. Some of the money raised will support our youth and children's ministry, and some will be supporting our Glenelg outreaches.
Inside the showgrounds, we have people stationed in the Jubilee Pavilion as part of the "Yellow Brick Road". Each person on the YBR that attends our stand will recieved something to eat (a fruit bar) and information on our churches and social services. Kathleen Pearce was there last night and can fill you in on some of the ways that the outreach works.
Also, on Saturday there will be a Salvation Army band on a few stages at the show, including in the Goyder Pavilion. This is a combination band from a number of Corps, including Marion.
All in all, plenty of ways for our church to be exposed to the community and create conversations.
This week is the Royal Adelaide Show, which I'm sure that most of you would know. During the course of the show, there will be a number of ways that we are able to connect with the community. Most people going to the show would have already seen collectors at the gates. Some of the money raised will support our youth and children's ministry, and some will be supporting our Glenelg outreaches.
Inside the showgrounds, we have people stationed in the Jubilee Pavilion as part of the "Yellow Brick Road". Each person on the YBR that attends our stand will recieved something to eat (a fruit bar) and information on our churches and social services. Kathleen Pearce was there last night and can fill you in on some of the ways that the outreach works.
Also, on Saturday there will be a Salvation Army band on a few stages at the show, including in the Goyder Pavilion. This is a combination band from a number of Corps, including Marion.
All in all, plenty of ways for our church to be exposed to the community and create conversations.
TACO
"Train a Cadet Overseas" - TACO nights help to raise money for the training of Salvation Army Officer Cadets in countries that cannot entirely fund the activity themselves. Realistically, this is most of The Salvation Army world!
Our TACO trivia night, the Pioneer Companion Club trivia morning, has raised $973 toward the TACO effort. $603 was raised on Saturday night, and $370 on Tuesday morning.
Thank you to everyone that helped in this cause. You would be surprised how far this money will go in helping to train people that are serving God around the world. The impact they will have in their countries will be tracable to your contributions and support back here in Australia.
Our TACO trivia night, the Pioneer Companion Club trivia morning, has raised $973 toward the TACO effort. $603 was raised on Saturday night, and $370 on Tuesday morning.
Thank you to everyone that helped in this cause. You would be surprised how far this money will go in helping to train people that are serving God around the world. The impact they will have in their countries will be tracable to your contributions and support back here in Australia.
Monday 5 September 2011
Tri-Territorial Theological Forum - Thought Matters
Over the last few days I have been representing our territory, along with 12 others, at the Tri-Territorial Theological Forum's annual conference "Thought Matters".
This conference has been constituted by the territorial leaders of The Salvation Army in Australia and New Zealand to consider theologically the issues that are presented to the group. The purpose is to provide sound theological/ biblical underpinnings to our practice and policy.
This year the leaders of our territories asked the group to consider a theology of social justice. And so, the 80 delegates from around Australia and New Zealand met in Wellington to do so.
The papers presented contained an ecclesiological perspective entitled "Un-Binding Salvation", and Old Testament paper about what it means to walk with God, a New Testament consideration of the church enacting social justice, a church history paper that looked to justice as understood by the church fathers and a missiological paper about how we construct our mission - rather than waiting to join God's mission.
The plenaries were varied and helpful as well. They covered everything from the 'so what' questions through to worship times that centered around the social justice theme.
The reports from the conference will ultimately be published, probably early next year. The group will meet again next year in Sydney to consider next year's topic: Reviewing Booth's Vision 100 years on... A Vision for the Lost, or a Lost Vision? (Next year is the centenary of the death of William Booth).
This conference has been constituted by the territorial leaders of The Salvation Army in Australia and New Zealand to consider theologically the issues that are presented to the group. The purpose is to provide sound theological/ biblical underpinnings to our practice and policy.
This year the leaders of our territories asked the group to consider a theology of social justice. And so, the 80 delegates from around Australia and New Zealand met in Wellington to do so.
The papers presented contained an ecclesiological perspective entitled "Un-Binding Salvation", and Old Testament paper about what it means to walk with God, a New Testament consideration of the church enacting social justice, a church history paper that looked to justice as understood by the church fathers and a missiological paper about how we construct our mission - rather than waiting to join God's mission.
The plenaries were varied and helpful as well. They covered everything from the 'so what' questions through to worship times that centered around the social justice theme.
The reports from the conference will ultimately be published, probably early next year. The group will meet again next year in Sydney to consider next year's topic: Reviewing Booth's Vision 100 years on... A Vision for the Lost, or a Lost Vision? (Next year is the centenary of the death of William Booth).
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